Character traits are an important part of raising children. We want our kids to make good choices and be good people, but how do we make that happen in our day-to-day lives?

The Donnie Learns series of coloring books is a great way to bring character trait learning into a fun activity kids love. The series includes seven coloring books each touching on a different trait we’d like to see in our children. Each coloring book is $6.95, making it an affordable way to bring character traits into our home in a memorable way.

We had the pleasure of reviewing each of the coloring books, but Donnie Learns to Take Responsibility for His Actions and Donnie Learns to Do What He Says were the ones I was drawn to start using, right away.

With each book, we began by reading through the story together. Each book has a different story spread throughout the book, with each page containing a few sentences and a great picture for your child to color. After we had read the full story, we talked about what happened with Donnie, what he did and learned, and we discussed how these things can happen in our lives too. The situations are relatable for the children, yet simple for understanding. It was easy for my son to put himself in Donnie’s position and see times throughout his days when he has the same types of situations occur.

I then let my son begin coloring any picture he chose to complete. We did the coloring over the course of a few weeks. Each day he would pick another photo and we would discuss the story a bit more. When he finished one book we talked about it as a whole and then moved onto another book. He enjoyed the coloring books and we had some great discussions about the books as well.

I loved the old-fashioned look of the pictures and that the story was relatable with a definite moral. We had some great opportunities for discussion that made the connection of the books and our lives very evident.

Working through the coloring books, at a slow pace, let us take some time to really dig deep into the different character traits. The time he spent in thoughtful coloring gave my son time to think about the story more and there were many times he would make a few comments as he was coloring. When the books were finished, the pictures he had colored himself made the books personal and memorable items in our home. He was proud of himself and was learning at the same time. Win-win!

The series includes the following titles: Donnie Learns the Value of Earning, Donnie Learns to Take Responsibility for His Actions, Donnie Learns How to Make Friends, Donnie Learns the Value of Time, Donnie Learns How to Do What He Says, Donnie Learns How to be Grateful, and Donnie Learns Self Love.  Each story has the same few characters, but you can complete them in any order you choose.

If you have a child who loves to color and you want to find a way for them to be more mindful in their character development, these coloring books may be just the right addition to your days. 

- Product review by Alexis Bennett, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, April, 2017